BONTOC, Mountain Province — Governor Leonard Mayaen expressed Thursday his support for the proposal pending before the House of Representatives for the conversion of at least five provincial roads into national roads, a move he believes will hasten development in this province. The pending proposals to nationalize provincial roads include the immediate conversion of the Mountain Province-Ifugao road via Notonin and Aguinaldo towns and the Mountain Province-Isabela roads, the Mountain province-Benguet road via Guinsadan-Mankayan road and the Mabaay-Abatan road as well as the Dantay-Sagada-Besao-Quirino-Ilocos Sur road. Mayaen said that once appropriate national funding for the rehabilitation and maintenance of these roads are made available, trade will be easier for this province’s farm products. (Dexter A. See)

CAVITE POLICE PROMISED AID

Cavite Governor Juanito Victor C. Remulla Jr. vowed all-out support for the 1,340-strong police provincial force in terms of modernization and logistics. In a recent dialogue with Senior Supt. Danilo L. Maligalig, police director, his staff and the chiefs of police (CoPs) of the province's four cities and 19 towns, Remulla pledged the installment of closed-circuit television cameras (CCTVs) in strategic areas and the procurement of at least 10 police mobile cars and scores of computers for police rooms, aside from the P2.5 million that he granted to buy the much-needed equipment for the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) unit team. Remulla made the pledges as he congratulated the police for their efforts in keeping the province peaceful and orderly. (Anthony Giron)

D.A. GIVES OUT 90 FREE WELLS

SAN FERNANDO CITY, Pampanga — A group of corn farmers in the province recently received at least 90 units of shallow tube wells (STWs) from the Department of Agriculture (DA) Regional Field Office III, it was learned Thursday. Edith Vega, information officer of the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA), revealed Thursday that the recipients got the STWs under a 50-50 scheme as part of the assistance being given by the DA to local farmers in coordination with the OPA. She explained that under the system of the national government through the DA shall subsidize half the amount of the STW while the remaining balance shall be paid by the farmer on cash-upon-delivery. The first batch of farmer-recipients numbered 21 in Mexico; 18 in Magalang; five in Arayat; three in Sta. Ana; two in  Bacolor; and one in Mabalacat. (Franco G. Regala)

COPS RESCUE DOLPHIN IN DONSOL

CAMP FLORENDO, La Union — Police operatives reported Thursday that local fishermen rescued a stranded rock-toothed dolphin along the shorelines in Barangay Macalang, Dasol, Pangasinan last Tuesday. Police Officer Rogelio Soriano of the Maritime Station based in Dasol said local fishermen thought the 2.5-meter-long dolphin was caught in a fishnet. City veterinarian Dr. Ronaldo Abarra, who attended to the dolphin, found that the dolphin had no injuries and was actually in good health. Police and City Veterinary Office personnel helped the dolphin get back to the open seas. The local folk have a strong sense of protection for marine resources and animals. (Freddie G. Lazaro)